Here we are comparing two cameras with different body types: Sony RX1R is a Large Sensor Compact camera with a 24.0MP Full frame sensor whereas Canon 5DS is a Semi-Pro DSLR camera with a 51.0MP Full frame sensor. Comparing a DSLR camera to a Compact camera is not an easy task but we will do our best to make this a fair comparison.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Sony RX1R and Canon 5DS before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Sony RX1R and Canon 5DS. Sony RX1R is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 39mm narrower, 51mm shorter and 6mm thinner than Canon 5DS. As you can tell, actually this is not a fair size comparison since Sony RX1R has a built-in lens but Canon 5DS doesn't. Once you put a lens on 5DS, its thickness will increase significantly.

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day.
Sony RX1R is significantly lighter (448g ) than the Canon 5DS which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Again, this comparison may not be very useful in real life as we are comparing the weight of a camera with a built-in lens to the body-only weight of an interchangeable lens camera. Once you put a lens on 5DS, the total kit will weigh much higher.

Sony RX1R vs Canon 5DS: Sensor Comparison

Sony RX1R has a 24.0MP Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm ) sized CMOS sensor . On the other hand, Canon 5DS has a 51.0MP Full frame (36 x 24 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Dual DIGIC 6 processor. Canon 5DS's sensor provides 27MP more than Sony RX1R's sensor, which gives a significant advantage in real life. You can print your images larger or crop more freely.
On the other hand, please keep in mind that Max sensor resolution is not the only determinant of resolving power. Factors such as the optical elements, low pass filter, pixel size and sensor technology also affects the final resolution of the captured image.

Another difference between these two cameras is that Sony RX1R's sensor lacks anti-alias (Low-Pass) filter. Removing anti-alias filter increases the sharpness and level of detail but at the same time, it increases the chance of moire occurring in certain scenes.

Below you can see the RX1R and 5DS sensor size comparison.

Sony RX1R and Canon 5DS have almost the same sensor size so none of them has any significant advantage over other in providing control over depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture.

What types of Photography are Sony RX1R and Canon 5DS Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Sony RX1R and Canon 5DS for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Sony RX1R for Portrait Photography

GOOD

Canon 5DS for Portrait Photography

EXCELLENT

Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) sensor Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP External Flash Shoe Optional External Viewfinder No Image Stabilization Not so good Ergonomics&Handling Read the details

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Sony RX1R and Canon 5DS, below you can find their scores in five different aspects.
Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 63 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Sony RX1R and Canon 5DS scores compare:

Sony RX1R

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #8 out of 44 in Large sensor compact camerasRanked #119 out of 1131 in all Cameras

Canon 5DS

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #20 out of 92 in Mid-size SLR camerasRanked #37 out of 1131 in all Cameras

Canon 5DS is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Sony RX1R in all criterias except one: Portability.If small size and light body is a big priority for you, choose Sony RX1R. Otherwise, Canon 5DS is the better camera overall.